Packing for piston-rods



(No Mael.)

Y BAGKING FOR PISTON RODS. No. 354,936. Patented Deo. 28, 1886.

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El n

l'minnn A UNITED STATES CHRISTIAN ROHN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

PACKING FOR PlsToN-Rons.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.1354,936, dated December28, 1886.

To @ZZ 10h07 it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRIsTIAN RoHN, a citizen of Norway, residing atNewark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Packings for Piston-Rods for Steam, Gas,Vater, and other Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in packings for piston-rods forsteam, gas, water, and other engines; and it consists of the peculiarcombination and novel construction and arrangement of the various partsfor service, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

The primary object of my present invention is to provide an improvedpacking for piston-rods, which will be perfectly air and gas tight atall times, and which will be hermetically sealed under all pressure ofthe gas or other tluid thereon, the piston-rod being capable of itsproper reciprocating movements with the least possible friction and wearupon the parts, and at the same time be capable of a limited movement orplay laterally to ae conimodate itself to the incorrect construction ofthe engine, as it has been found to be very diilieult and expensive topractically construct an engine that will not require its piston-rod tobe out of line with the axis of the cylinder during a portion of thetime.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved means forautomatically taking up the wear upon the packings around the piston-rodas the same are worn away, and to improve the parts in minor details sothat they shall possess superior advantages in points of simplicity anddurabilityof construction and accuracy and eiciency of operation.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure l is a vertical sectional viewthrough a piston-rod packing embodying my improvement. Figs.

2 to 5, inclusive, are detail sectional views of ters of referencedenote corresponding parts in all the iigures, A designates thereciprocating piston-rod ot' a gas, steam, or other engine of any classusing a piston-rod; and B, the stuflingbox that is affixed to the engineand through which the piston-rod reciprocates.

Application tiled September 1, 1886. Serial No. 212,388. (No model.)

C designates the main gland which is fitted in the outer extremity ofthe stufling-box B, and this outer gland is surrounded by a'packing, C',of any approved class, which is fitted around the inner end of the maingland and in a recess or enlargement of the stuffing-box B, at the outerextremity of the latter.

E designates a gland surrounding the main` gland C, and bearing at itsinner edges against the outer edge of the packing G, and through themain and auxiliary glands G and E, just described, are passed threadedrods F, which are screwed or otherwiseV suitably secured in the outerextremity of the stuffing-box B, as clearly shown in Fig. l. Thesethreaded rods carry binding-nuts ,f near their inner ends, which bearagainst the auxiliary gland E and serve to keep the latter and thepacking C in their proper positions and against retrograde-7cm movement,and against the main gland C bear coiled pressure-springs F, thatencircle the said threaded rods F and are housed within hollow washersor sleeves g, against which bear the nuts g', which are held againstmovement on the threaded rods by means of jam-nuts g2, as shown. Themain gland C of the packing is provided with an enlarged chamber at itsinner end, and the inner wall, c', of this chamber is ground water andair tight to prevent the escape of the pressure-fluid, as will be morefully hereinafter explained, this main gland' being shown in detail inFig. 3 of the drawings.

H des-ignatesa sleeve, which is fitted around the piston -rod A, and islocated centrally within the chamber of the stuflingbox B, as shown. Theinside diameter of this sleeve is a little larger than the diameter ofthe pistonrod,so as to leave or provide a space or chamber, h, betweenthe inner surface of the sleeve and the periphery of the piston-rod, inwhich a thin sheet or lm of iiuid is at all times maintained, and at ornear its center the sleeve is provided with a number of holes or ports,h', through which the fluid under pressure is admitted to the chamber orspace h.

I designates the boxes'for the packing for the piston-rod,whieh arearranged .at opposite ends of the sleeve H, andl which surround thepiston-rod. These boxes are provided with an enlarged chamber, ,thatleaves IOC "a depending circumferential flange, t", at one `end-theouter end thereof, as shown. The diameter of the chamber t of thepackingboxes is equal to t-he exterior diameter of the sleeve H, and thesaid chambered ends of the packing-boxes fit over and surround theextremities of the sleeve II. Metallic or any suitable packings, I', areinterposed between the piston-rod and the walls ofthe chamber of' thepacking-boxes I and fill the chamber i thereof', and these packings Iare inclosed within the inner edges of the flanges t" and outer edges ofthe sleeve H, to form a complete packing on the piston-rod to preventescapek of fluid around it.

J designates abushin g, which lis fitted around the piston-rod andinterposed between the inner wall of the stuffing-hoXBand the packingboxI, in proximity thereto, and the surfaces of the said bushing J and ofthe packing-box I in contact therewith are ground water and air tight,so as to effectually prevent the escape ofthe pressure-fluid.

It will thus be seen that'the packings l and the stuing-boxes veryclosely surround the piston-rod and are capable of' a slight movement orplay therewith, and a space or chamber is provided in the sleeveH aroundthe piston-rod, in which a thin film of' fluid under pressure ismaintained at all times. The bushing J and the stuffing-box I in contacttherewith efectually prevent the escape of the fluid under pressure fromthat end of the apparatus, and the other packing-box I fits within or ishoused in the enlarged chamber c of the main gland C, the end of' thepacking-box I that comes in contact with the wall c of the chambercwithin the main gland being also ground water and air tight to preventthe escape of the fluid under pressure from that end of the apparatus.

The packings I serve to eti'ect-uall y close the ends of the chamber hzbetween the sleeve H and the piston-rod, as it has been foundimpracticable to make flanges t' of the packingboxes ft in thepiston-rod so tightly as to prevent the escape of the fluid underpressure, and the openings in the flanges of the packingboxes aremade ofslightly greater diameter than the rod, so as to reduce the frictionbetween the said parts. The function of these d fiange's in thestuffing-boxes is to insure a larger and better bearing on the packingand to prevent the escape of the packingyif it is of a vegetable natureinto the chamber of the sleeve.

The packing-boxes I and the intermediate sleeve, H, are arranged withinthe main fluid chamber or compartment of the stuffing-box B of theapparatus and out of contact with the Surrounding walls thereof, so asto leave a space or chamber, K, which is lled at all timeswith a fluid,as shown, that is supplied thereto through a port or opening, lc, in themain stul-` ing-box B from atreceptacle or reservoir, L, which may belocated some distance from the apparatus and be connected therewith byan intermediate pipe; but I prefer to mount the said reservoir upon thestuffing-box A, as shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. Thisreservoir L is a vessel of cylindrical or other form, which has a base,Z, through which is formed an outlet channel or passage,m, through whichthe liquid under pressure enters the chamber K of the stuffing-box. Thebase of the reservoir has a valve or cock, m', by means of which thesupply of liquid or fluid to the stuffing-box can'be controlled, and inthe reservoir Works a piston, M, which bears or presses upon the fluidtherein, and is `normally impelled downwardly by means ofapressurespring, M, preferably of' the coiled class, which 'encirclesthe piston-rod and bears upon the head thereof and against the closedend of thel reservoir. The reservoir is provided with a removable cap,m2, by means of which the fluid can be supplied to thereservoir when ithas become exhausted, and through a suitable opening in the cap of thereservoir works the rod or stem of the piston, as shown. The reservoir Lis generally supplied through asmall pipe (not shown in drawings)situated near the bottom of the reservoir L In this pipe is a smallvalve, and from which extends another small pipe with a bend downward toallow it to be put into the oil or fluid of an oil can or vessel. Whenthe valve is opened, the piston M is raised by means of the smallhand-wheel on the piston-rod of` the fiuid reservoir, and the oil orfluid is by suction drawn into the reservoir L.

lN designates an escape or outlet valve,which communicates with thefluid chamber K through a port, n, in the stuffing-box, and this valveis located on the opposite side of the chamber K to the reservoir, sothat a circulation of fluid can be maintained in the chamber K andaround the piston-rod and its packing-boxes and sleeve 'for the purposeof cooling the piston-rod and the boxes I and the intermediate sleeve,as is sometimes necessaryfor instance, when the device is applied to airand gas engines. This escape or outlet valve is provided with aregulating valve or cock, N', of any approved pattern, by means of whichthe escape of the iiuid from the chamber K can be cut ott or regulated,as may be desired.

The chamber and hole in the main gland C and the hole in the bushingJare made a little greater in diameter than the diameter of thepiston-rod, so that the piston-rod is capable of a limited lateralmovement or play in the said gland and stuffing-box. I have found bypractical experiment that if the hole in the main gland and the bushingJ, through which the piston-rod reciprocates, be made aboutone-sixteenth of an inch larger, the piston-rod will have sufficientlateral or sidewise play in order to compensate for the pistou-rodrunning out of a straight line.

This being the construction of my improved piston-rod packing, theoperation is as follows: The fluid under pressure is admitted from thereservoir through the inlet port or channel to the fluid-chamber K, andthence to the space IOL IIO

or chamber h, intermediate of the piston-rod and the sleeve H. Thepistonrod reciprocates freely back and i'orth through the chambers inthe main gland and the bushing J, and also through the sleeve H and thepacking Iof the boxes I therefor, and the said sleeve H and the boxes,together with their packings, are capable of 'free motion or lateralplay in the fluid-chamber K with the piston-rod, when the latter runsout of a straight line and plays in the chamber of the main gland andthe bushing J, which play is caused by the piston- .rod not running in astraight line, and also the steady wearing down in horizontal engines,as it has been found difficult and expensive and almost impracticable toso construct and arraugethe parts of an engine that the piston-rodwillworkin a perfectly-straight line in the axis of the cylinder. When it isdesired to establish a circulation of Huid around lthe piston-rod andthe sleeve and packingboxes, in order to cool the said parts, the cock Nin the valve N is opened and the fluid passes through the chamber K andreservoir and into and through the valve N, and thence l to anescape-pipe, as will be readily understood, from a larger reservoir.'The packings I of the boxes I effcctually prevent the escape of thefluid from the recess or chamber h, surrounding thc piston-rod, and thepacking boxes, in connection with the -main gland C and the bushing J,likewise prevent the escape of the fiuid at the extremities of thestuingbox B. The spring normally presses upon the main and auxiliaryglands to force the lat ter inwardlylof the stufting-box B in order toktake up the wear on the several packings automatically, or as it takesplace, and thus prevent the parts from becoming loose, as is obvious.

I do not desire to confine myself to the exact details ot' constructionherein shown and cle-- scribed, as an embodiment of my invention, as Iam aware that numerous changes therein can be made Without departingfrom the spirit or 'sacrificing the advantages of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. rlhe combination, with the fluid-chamber of a stuffing-box andareciprocating pistonlrod working therein, of the packing-boxes fittedon the piston-rod and of less diameter than the diameter of the saidchamber, the sleeve fitted on the piston-rod between the packing-boxesand having a chamber surrounding the pistonrod, which chamber is incommunication with the fluid-chamber at all times to constantly maintaina thin tilm of fluid around the pistonrod, and the packings fitted inthe packingboxes to eifectually close the ends of the charnber of thesleeve, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the stuflingbox of an engine having aiiuid'chamber to be filled with a pressure-fluid, of a piston-rod havinga packing in contact with the rod, but independent of and out of contactwith the sides of the duid-chamber, the packing-boxes for receiving thesaid packing, and the sleeve between the packing-boxes having a chambersurrounding the piston-rod and in communication with the fluid-chamberof the stuffingbox,thesaid packing-boxes having the ground faces i c incont-act with and sliding freely on the faces of the bush in thestufingbox and the inner face of the maingland, whereby the packing, theboxes therefor, and the intermediate sleeve will move freelyin thefluid-chamber with any lateral or side play of the pistonrod and stillbe perfectly tight to prevent the escape of thefluid under pressure inthe said chamber, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the sleeve surrounding the pistoni-Orland arrangedoutof contact therewith, except at the ends of the sleeve to form anintermediate space or chamber, h, in which a thin film of duid ismaintained, the packing-boxes disposed on opposite sides of the sleeve,and the packings housed within the packing-boxes and arranged onopposite sides of the sleeve to close the ends of the chamber h,substantially as described.

4. The combination of a fluid-chamber, the sleeve surrounding thepiston-rod and arranged out of contact therewith, except at the ends ofthe sleeve, to forni an intermediate chamber, h, and having the ports incommunication with the Huid-chamber, the packing-boxes inclosed withinthe fluid-chamber and arranged on opposite sides of the sleeve, and thepackings housed within the packing-boxes on opposite sides ofthe sleeveto close the ends of the chamber h, substantially as described, for thepurpose set forth.Y

5. The combination of the fluid-chamber, a sleeve surrounding thepiston-rod to leave `an intermediate chamber, h, and having the portsopening in the chamber h and the huid-chamber, the reservoir incommunication with the vhuid-chamber, the packing-boxes on oppositesides of the sleeve, and the packing-rings housed within Athepacking-boxes, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a sleeve, the packingboxes having the packingshoused within the same, a duid-chamber, a reservoir in communicationwith the fluid-chamber, and a piston working in the reservoir,substantially as described. l

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7. The combination, with a fluid-chamber, the sleeve, and thepacking-boxes housed duid-chamber for controlling the admission of fluidto the latter, substantially as described.

9. The combination of a iluidchamber through which the piston-rodreciprocates, the sleeve inclosed within and in communication with thechamber and surrounding the 4piston-rod, out of contact therewith,except at the ends of the sleeve, to-provide an intermediate chamber.the packing-.boxes connected to the extremities of the sleeve, thepackings housed within the paeking-boxes-a reservoir in communicationwith the fluid-chamber, a piston working in the reservoir, a valveintermediate of the reservoir and the chamber, and an escape-valvehaving a cock and in communication with the chamber, substantially asdescribed. v

10. The combination of a stuiing-box having the tluidchamber, the maingland fitting in the outer end of the stuffing-box, a bushing, J, asleeve inclosed within the fluid-chamber and surrounding the piston-rodout of contact therewith, except at the ends of the sleeve, to form theintermediate chamber, h, the packing-boxes connected to the extremitiesof the sleeves, and the packings housed Within the boxes, substantiallyas described.

1l. The combination of a stuffing-box having Athe fluid-chamber, themain gland tted in the outer end of the stuffing-box, the bushing J, thechambers of the vsaid gland and bushing being of a slightly largerdiameter than the piston-rod, the sleeve inclosed within thefluid-chamber and arranged around the piston-rod and out of contacttherewith, except at the ends of the sleeve, to formthe intermediatechamber, the packing-boxes connected to the ends of the sleeve, and thepackings housed within the boxes, substantially as described, for thepurpose set forth.

12. The combinationof the stung-box B, having the duid-chamber, the maingland fitting inthe outer end of the stuing-box, the packing4intermediate of the main gland and the stuing-box, the auxiliary glandsurrounding the main gland and bearing upon the packing, the threadedrods passing through the main and auxiliary glands, the nuts fitted onthe rods and bearing upon the auxiliary gland, the springs bearing onthe main gland, the Washers within which the springs are housed, thenuts bearing on the washers, the sleeve H, the packing-boxes, one ofwhich is fitted within the main gland, and the packings housed in theboxes, substantially as described.

13. The combination, with an engine, the piston-'rod and stuing-box,through which the pistou-rod reciprocates, a Huid-chamber, and twopackings surrounding the piston-rod and inelosed within the chamber, oftwo packing-boxes and an intermediate sleeve between the two packings,the packing-boxes fitting over the ends of the sleeve to form acompletepacking on the piston-rod, that by the enlarged chambers surrounding thepackingboxes and the plain air and water tightground faces on theoutside extremities of the packing-boxes and the ground faces on whichthe boxes'move the packing can move freely with the piston-rod in anydirection without escape of fluid from the stuffing-box, substantiallyas described. w

ln testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto atixedmy signature in Apresence of two witnesses.

CHRISTIAN ROHN.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH B. BRAMAN, HUGH S. VAN DUYN.

